Limitation of Rationality in Reproductive Behaviour: Abortion and Contraception Practices in Turkey

In this study, I present a critical exploration of the decision-making processes behind contraception and abortion practices in Turkey. Rather than adhering to the mainstream economic reductionist approaches found in population studies literature, I intend to focus on the means of fertility control, (i.e. contraception and abortion) and their causal relationships with each other. I will underline the interconnectedness between contraception and abortion within social and cultural structures and detail the characteristics of fertility control within the context of social conflict. While I criticize rational reproductive theory, I use a holistic approach with regards to fertility control. To this end, I will discuss the relationship between fertility and sexuality, including the remarkable effects of gender norms, power dynamics and family ideology, on those two important facets of culture. The empirical data for this study is based on the Demographic and Health Survey, Turkey, 2003. The information gathered demonstrates the prevalence and patterns of both contraception and abortion practices.